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A Holy Cross Mock Trial team was named New England Champion
after a first-place finish in the American Mock Trial Association’s
New England Regional Mock Trial Tournament, held Jan. 31-Feb.
2 in Manchester, Conn.
Twenty-seven teams, including three from Holy Cross, competed
in this year’s regional tournament. Emerging as a top
scorer after a series of four trials on Saturday, the Holy
Cross team defeated George Washington University in the final “Justice
Cup” trial on Sunday.
The Holy Cross victory, a unanimous verdict from all three
judges, is an automatic bid to the 2003 National Mock Trial
Championship Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa. The tournament
is scheduled for April 4-6, 2003.
The winning team from Holy Cross was captained by John O’Donnell ’04,
and attorneys Samantha Kingsbury ’06 and Matthew Pieraldi ’04.
Witnesses included Christopher Hirl ’03, Jonathan Steffy ’04,
Casey Donnelly ’06, Anthony (A.J.) Ursillo ’06
and Eric Tosi ’03.
Holy Cross also had individual student award winners. M.
Cecilia Kelly ’04, Christine McMahon ’06 and Elizabeth
Letak ’06 were awarded Regional Attorney Awards, while
Adam Zybulewski ’05 was named an All-Region Witness.
The American Mock Trial Association sponsors 17 regional
tournaments throughout the country. The New England regional
is considered one of the most difficult competitions.
In November, the Holy Cross Mock Trial team earned five
top distinctions at the Yale Invitational Mock Trial Tournament.
With 62 teams competing, it is the most competitive invitational
tournament in the country.
The Mock Trial program began in 1997. It is led by alumni
coaches Ed McDermott ’79 and Carey Smith ’79, partners
in the Worcester law firm of Morrison, Mahoney & Miller;
and Scott Sandstrom, prelaw advisor and associate professor
of accounting in the economics department.
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